Dispensing and display system

ABSTRACT

A system for controlling advancement of and access to product and for generating data associated with such advancement and access. Systems of this invention include a pusher system having a track, a pusher, and mechanisms for generating data relating to the movement of the pusher. Certain embodiments of the invention include a door assembly, which controls consumer access to product located behind the door assembly, a stop for limiting the forward progression of the pusher along the track, and mechanisms for generating data relating to when and/or for how long the door assembly is open.

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.13/746,404 filed Jan. 22, 2013 (Allowed), which is a continuation ofU.S. application Ser. No. 13/456,342 filed Apr. 26, 2012 (U.S. Pat. No.8,386,075), which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.12/567,370 filed Sep. 25, 2009 (U.S. Pat. No. 8,190,289), which claimsthe benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/100,213, filed Sep.25, 2008, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/183,321, filed Jun. 2,2009, the entire contents of all of which are hereby incorporated byreference. U.S. application Ser. No. 12/567,370 is acontinuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No.11/528,032, filed Sep. 27, 2006 (U.S. Pat. No. 7,641,072), which claimsthe benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/720,823, filed Sep.27, 2005, and which is a continuation-in-part application of (1) U.S.application Ser. No. 11/409,885, filed Apr. 24, 2006 (Abandoned), whichclaims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/674,880, filedApr. 25, 2005, and (2) U.S. application Ser. No. 10/967,811, filed Oct.18, 2004 (Abandoned), which claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 60/512,454, filed Oct. 17, 2003, the entire contents ofall of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of this invention generally relate to systems for advancingproduct on a shelf and, in particular, devices that allow for controlledforward movement of product and that are capable of generating and/oranalyzing data related to the number of product on the shelf and/orattempts to access the product.

BACKGROUND

Knowledge and analysis of consumer behavior provides valuable insightfor retailers, distributors, marketers, and others involved in the salesand distribution of goods and services. Many methods and means ofgathering data on consumer activity are known. For example, distributorscan develop rough estimates of sales and demand by analyzing the ordersthey receive. Retailers can estimate sales, demand, and inventory levelsfrom point-of-sale or intelligent cash register systems. Marketers canobserve consumer behavior or conduct surveys to gather data on consumerbehavior. Such data can help manufacturers, distributors, and retailersmake informed decisions about how to supply goods and services,including how much inventory to supply for a particular location andwhat specific goods or services are appropriate for a location.

Knowledge of inventory levels and consumer behavior can also helpmanufacturers, distributors, and retailers avoid expenses and costs, asunnecessary expenditures for inventory that may not sell can be avoided,as well as the costs relating to acquiring and housing such inventory.Additionally, real time knowledge of inventory levels can alert retailpersonnel when a product display is running low so that the retailer canrestock the display.

Moreover, theft of small items in retail stores is an all too commonproblem. Items that are in high demand by thieves includeover-the-counter (OTC) products such as analgesics and cough and coldmedications, razor blades, camera film, batteries, videos, DVDs, smokingcessation products, infant formula, hair products, body sprays, andother such items. Shelf sweeping is a particular problem for smallitems. Shelf sweeping occurs when individuals or groups remove all theshelf stock and exit the store, similar to a “smash and grab”shoplifting technique. Shelf sweeping relies on excessive quantities ofproduct being available on the shelf. Retailers must keep substantialinventory on shelf or incur the cost, including labor costs, ofconstantly restocking.

Retailers are constantly challenged to balance the needs of legitimateconsumers' access to high theft items with measures to minimize theincidence of theft. Because theft has become so rampant in certainproduct categories, such as razor blades and infant formula, many retailstores are taking the products off the shelves and placing them behindthe counter or under lock and key. Customers must request the productsto make a purchase. This requires additional labor costs to provideindividual service to customers who would normally not require it. Italso makes it difficult for customers to compare products. Furthermore,it might not be feasible where the space behind the counter is limitedand is needed for prescription medications. In some cases, products aresimply unavailable due to high pilferage rates. Therefore, a device thatminimizes the incidence of product theft by controlling and monitoringaccess to the product is needed.

Studies have shown that a desirable form of theft deterrence is to causea time delay between when one product is dispensed and the next productis available for dispensing. Would-be thieves are less likely to stealproducts if there is a substantial delay between the dispensing ofindividual products. Another deterrent to theft is alerting retailpersonnel of attempts to dispense an excessive number of individualproducts and other suspicious behavior.

Detrimental consumer behavior like shoplifting also can be addressed ifappropriate data is available. However, conventional means and methodsknown today for acquiring and analyzing such data are burdensome,expensive, time-consuming, and/or do not provide real time information,and thus are often not employed. What is needed in the art is areliable, expedient way to gather and process consumer and/or inventorydata so that it can be used to deter theft and make informed inventorydecisions.

SUMMARY

Systems according to some embodiments of this invention providerestricted consumer access to product on a retail shelf by controllingadvancement of the product on the shelf. Moreover, systems according tosome embodiments of this invention are capable of generating andtransmitting information relating to: (1) vending of the product, suchas the number of product removed from the shelf and/or how many productsremain on the shelf, and/or (2) attempts to access the product, such aswhether an access door is open or closed and/or for how long the accessdoor has been open.

In some embodiments, as a first product is removed from the shelf, theproducts located behind the one removed can be, in certaincircumstances, advanced forward by a pushing assembly. A pushingassembly of one embodiment of this invention includes a pusher, a track,and a shaft that cooperates with a position sensor. The movement of thepusher to advance product forward causes the shaft to rotate. Theposition sensor senses the rotation of the shaft and sends a signal,such as in an analog to digital converter or other circuitry, to aprocessor that can analyze this information. For example, the amount ofrotation of the shaft can be used to determine the number of productsremoved from the shelf and/or the number of products that remain on theshelf.

In some embodiments, the pushing assembly includes a pusher, a track,and a stop. The stop is configured to cooperate with a proximity sensorthat senses the proximity of the stop in relation to the sensor when thestop is in an engaged or disengaged position. In some embodiments, thepusher is only permitted to advance product forward when the stop is inthe engaged position (for example, when an access door is closed). Inother embodiments, the pusher is only permitted to advance productforward when the stop is in the disengaged position (for example, whenthe access door is closed). The movement of the stop into either itsengaged or disengaged position to prevent the pusher from advancingproduct forward (for example, by opening a door to access the product)can be sensed by the proximity sensor. The proximity sensor can thenconvey this information for processing, so that it can be determinedwhether an access door is open and/or for how long the access door hasbeen open.

In some embodiments, the pushing system includes a pusher, a track, ashaft, and a stop. In some embodiments, the pushing system also includesa resistance mechanism that couples to the track and pusher and controlsthe forward movement of the pusher along the track. In this way, theresistance mechanism controls the speed at which product is advanced foraccess by the consumer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of two assembled controlled access devicespositioned between shelving units according to one embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a pushing assembly positioned withrespect to an analysis unit according to one embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the pushing assembly and analysis unit ofFIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the pushing assembly of FIG. 2, shown inisolation.

FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of the pushing assembly of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is perspective view of a resistance mechanism according to oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an analysis unit according to oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the analysis unit of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a tip bin door assembly, shownpositioned with respect to a divider and a pushing assembly, accordingto one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is another perspective view of a tin bin door assembly, asassembled between shelving units and being opened for vending, accordingto one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a shuttle style door assembly accordingto one embodiment of the present invention, when the shuttle style doorassembly is in the open position.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the shuttle door assembly of FIG. 11,when in the closed position.

FIG. 13 is a top view of the shuttle door assembly of FIG. 11, asassembled with a pushing system.

FIG. 14 is a rear perspective view of a pusher according to oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a track according to one embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a stop according to one embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 17 is a process flow illustrating one non-limiting example of thelogic that could be carried out by the analysis unit to collect andprocess data according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a function block diagram of a circuit according to oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is front view of a shelving unit that contains a plurality ofassembled controlled access devices according to one embodiment of thepresent invention, with the shelving unit pulled out in drawer-likefashion.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the shelving unit of FIG. 19, with theshelving unit in position for vending.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a shuttle style door assembly accordingto one embodiment of the present invention, as the shuttle style doorassembly is being opened.

FIG. 22 is a side view of a pushing assembly according to one aspect ofthe invention, when the stop is in the disengaged position.

FIG. 23 is a side view of the pushing assembly of FIG. 23, when the stopis in the engaged position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Certain embodiments of the invention comprise a pushing assembly 200 forthe controlled advancement of product. The pushing assembly 200 isconfigured to cooperate with mechanisms having data generationcapabilities. In some embodiments, it may be desirable to positionproduct close to the edge of a shelf so that a consumer may access theproduct. As a first product is removed from the pushing assembly, thepushing assembly, in certain circumstances, causes products locatedbehind the one that was removed to move forward. As the pushing assemblycauses product to move forward, data is generated about the removal ofthe product, such as data relating to the number of products that havebeen removed and/or the number of products remaining on shelf. A pushingsystem, which accomplishes the forward movement of product, may beconfigured to interact with components that generate signals conveyinginformation relating to product removal.

According to one embodiment of the invention, one or more pushingassemblies 200 may be positioned between two retail shelving units 202,as shown in FIG. 1. Alternatively, one or more pushing assemblies 200may be positioned on a single shelving unit, or placed on any type ofsurface such as a countertop. As shown in FIG. 2, in some embodiments,pushing assembly 200 comprises a pusher 214, a track 216, a resistancemechanism 230, an optional stop 254, and an optional shaft 201. In someembodiments, pushing assembly 200 is used with a door assembly 218and/or one or more dividers 204 (FIG. 1). A divider 204 may bepositioned on one or both sides of the pushing assembly 200 to separateadjacent assemblies.

Pusher 214 includes a pushing ram 238 that engages product (not shown)and pushes product forward. Pushing ram 238 includes a front surface 240for engaging product and a rear surface 242. In one embodiment, thepushing ram 238 is a rectangular plate, although other suitable shapesand geometries may also be used.

As shown in FIG. 3, extension 248 of pusher 214 extends beyond thebottom portion of pushing ram 238. In this manner, extension 248 engagestrack 216, so that pusher 214 is in sliding engagement with track 216.In certain embodiments, pushing assembly 200 also includes a shaft 201(further discussed below) that extends through an aperture 203 in thepusher 214.

As shown in FIGS. 3-4, track 216 includes a shaft channel 233, as wellas a resistance channel 234 having gear teeth 228 that project intoresistance channel 234 and engage external gear component 244 of theresistance mechanism 230, further described below. The gear teeth 228may be positioned in various other manners along the resistance channel234 and maintain the functionality of the device.

As shown in FIGS. 2-3, in some embodiments, resistance channel 234receives stop 254. As shown in more detail in FIG. 16, stop 254 includesa plurality of engagement surfaces 256, which form generally a sawtoothshape in cross section. Stop 254 also includes a front face 258, whichmay extend beyond the resistance channel 234, and a back portion 261.Engagement surfaces 256 are positioned to engage projections 262extending from brake 246 of pusher 214 (described below and shown inFIG. 14). Stop 254 also includes one or more protrusions 260, which maybe located on the side of stop 254, as shown in FIG. 16. As describedbelow, these protrusions are shaped and sized to fit within one or moreslots 232 in the side of track 216 (shown in FIGS. 3, 15, and 22).

As shown in FIG. 14, one end of spring 250 is attached to the pusher 214in any suitable manner, such as, but not limited to, by a screw.Movement of pusher 214 towards the back end of the track 216 unwindsspring 250 so that when released, spring 250 urges pusher 214 in theforward direction. Spring 250 may be positioned anywhere along track inrelation to pusher 214, so that spring 250 is capable of either“pushing” or “pulling” pusher 214 forward. The spring preferably may bea constant force spring, such as those sold under the trademarkConforce®, but many other types of springs, such as a variable forcespring, may also be used.

In embodiments including a resistance mechanism 230, resistancemechanism 230 is attached to pusher 214. As shown in FIG. 6, resistancemechanism 230 includes external gear component 244. As shown in FIG. 2,resistance mechanism 230 is positioned on pusher 214 so that externalgear component 244 extends into resistance channel 234 of track 216 andengages gear teeth 228. According to certain embodiments, one suchresistance mechanism is a conventional resistance motor, such as used intoys, such as the resistance motor Model #w217 sold by Vigor, althoughother types of motors may also be used. In other embodiments, resistancemechanism 230 is a rotary damper.

As one product is selected from the front of pushing assembly 200, thecompression of the spring 250 causes the pushing ram 238 to move forwardand the external gear component 244 to rotate along gear teeth 228 oftrack 216. The movement of pushing ram 238 advances remaining productalong track 216. The speed of this forward movement is controlled andreduced by resistance mechanism 230. The internal gears of theresistance mechanism 230 are configured to provide resistance to theforward movement by limiting the rotation of the external gear component244. Because the external gear component 244 engages gear teeth 228 oftrack 216 and the external gear rotation is limited, the movement ofpushing ram 238 and therefore the remaining product to the front oftrack 216 is slowed.

Product can be loaded in pushing assembly 200 by forcing pushing ram 238backwards along track 216 and placing multiple units of the productagainst the pushing ram 238. As described above, spring 250 pulls thepushing ram 238 to exert force on the products towards the front of thetrack 216. Resistance mechanism 230 preferably allows pushing ram 238 tobe forced backwards freely for loading of the product.

In the embodiments having a shaft 201, shaft 201 is configured to rotateas the pusher 214 moves. As shown in FIG. 2 and referenced in FIG. 18,shaft 201 is positioned to engage a position sensor 306, such as apotentiometer or other suitable device, within analysis unit 308 asshaft 201 rotates. In some embodiments, a 270.degree. potentiometer,such as a Panasonic Precision potentiometer, is used as position sensor306, but any other suitable position sensor can be used. Shaft 201 maybe helix shaped and is positioned in relation to track 216 so that theshaft 201 is free to rotate without obstruction. As shown in FIG. 3,pusher 214 includes an aperture 203 cut in a shape corresponding to theshape of shaft 201 (i.e., helix geometry plus a small amount oftolerance if the shaft 201 is helix shaped) so that when the pusher 214moves in a forward or backward direction, the linear motion of pusher214 is converted into a rotary motion of the shaft 201.

Shaft 201 is the positioned with respect to an electronic assembly, suchas an analysis unit 308. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, analysis unit 308includes an opening 310 that receives shaft 201 so that shaft 201engages one or more components on a circuit board, such as apotentiometer or other position sensor 306 that is located inside theanalysis unit 308 and that contains, among other things, proximitysensor 300.

Referring to FIG. 18, position sensor 306 generates a signal byconverting the rotation data of shaft 201 into a predetermined voltageoutput. Optionally, the position sensor 306 can be fed with a precisionvoltage reference. This voltage reading can be sent through an analog todigital converter 502. This value can then be processed by anappropriate processing device 504 (such as ST 8-bit microcontroller orother suitable processor) and converted via an algorithm to a distancemeasurement that can then be associated with the dimensions of theproduct housed on the track. In other embodiments, a processing deviceis not necessary and a counter may incrementally adjust based on thedegree of rotation. In the embodiments where a processing device 504 isused, the processing device can encrypt and package the data itgenerates and send the data via analysis unit 308 by RF to acommunication unit 508. In some embodiments, analysis unit 308 is awireless analysis unit 308. In some embodiments, the communication unit508 can send back an acknowledgement in the form of a checksum. Thecommunication unit 508 unpackages the information it receives from theanalysis unit 308 and processes it to track, for example, occurrencessuch as when a product has been removed, the number of products thathave been removed from the shelf, the number of products that remain onthe shelf, consumer buying patterns, and/or possible theft.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 2-5 and 16, pusher assembly 200includes a stop 254 that prevents the pusher 214 from advancing productforward when the stop is in a disengaged position. When stop 254 is inthe disengaged position, the engagement surfaces 256 of the stop 254engage the projections 262 of the brake 246 (shown in FIG. 14) thatextend into resistance channel 234. When projections 262 of the brake246 engage the engagement surfaces 256 of the stop 254, stop 254prevents forward movement of the pusher 214. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 16,the back portion 261 of stop 254 includes a magnet 259, or othersuitable mechanism for interacting with a proximity sensor 300,described further below. The back portion 261 of stop 254 is positionedwith respect to an electronic assembly, such as analysis unit 308described above and shown in FIGS. 3, 5, and 7-8. Specifically, as shownin FIGS. 3 and 7, analysis unit 308 can include a second opening 312that can receive the back portion 261 of stop 254 so that stop 254interacts with a component on an electronic circuit board located insideanalysis unit 308. Such a component can be a Hall-Effect proximitysensor, such as an Allegro Hall-Effect sensor or any other desirableproximity sensor.

In some embodiments, when engaged, stop 254 allows the pusher 214 tomove in a forward direction and thus advance product forward. In someembodiments, when stop 254 is engaged, the pusher 214 can move inincrements of a predetermined amount, such increments corresponding tothe depth of the product. As explained above, the stop 254 includesengagement surfaces 256 that form generally a sawtooth shape in crosssection. Stop 254 is positioned within resistance channel 234 so thatprotrusions 260 of stop 254 are received in ramped slots 232 on the sideof the track 216 (shown in FIGS. 2-3 and 15). When stop 254 is in adisengaged position, shown in FIG. 22, protrusions 260 of the stop arelocated at one end of the slots 232. When sufficient force is applied tothe front face 258 of the stop 254, the protrusions 260 on the side ofthe stop 254 move from one end of slots 232 to the other end of slots232. Because slots 232 are sloped at an angle along track 216, theapplication of the force to the front face 258 of stop 254 movesprotrusions 260 downward in slots 232, as shown in FIG. 23. In this way,when horizontal force is applied to the front face 258 of stop 254, stop254 moves both horizontally toward the rear of the track 216 anddownward at the same time. When stop 254 is thus lowered to the engagedposition (FIG. 23), the engagement surfaces 256 of the stop 254 arelower so that they no longer engage with the projections 262 of thebrake 246 that extend into resistance channel 234. When projections 262of the brake 246 thus disengage the engagement surfaces 256 of the stop254, stop 254 no longer prevents forward movement of the pusher 214.Spring 314 (shown in FIGS. 3, 22-23) may be used to slow the speed atwhich stop 254 returns to its disengaged position; this speed can beadjusted to correspond to the amount of time needed for the pusher 214to move a predetermined increment, such increment corresponding, forexample, to the depth of one product.

Back portion 261 of stop 254 is positioned relative to proximity sensor300 housed within analysis unit 308, as shown in FIGS. 2-3. When thestop 254 is moved into the engaged position and thus positioned towardthe rear of the track 216, the back portion 261 of stop 254 (and thusmagnet 259 or other suitable mechanism) moves toward the rear of track216 and closer to proximity sensor 300. Proximity sensor 300 is capableof sensing this proximity of stop 254. In this way, proximity sensor 300is capable of receiving information corresponding to the proximity ofstop 254 in relation to proximity sensor 300. Proximity sensor 300 canbe a Hall-Effect sensor, a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, aphotoelectric sensor such as infrared or ultraviolet devices, or anyother passive or active monitor or device capable of sensing the contactof, force imparted by, or presence of nearby objects.

In some embodiments, the pushing assembly 200 may be assembled with adoor assembly 218, or other suitable structure, that blocks access tothe product when the door assembly 218 is in the closed position. Thedoor assembly may be a tip bin style door 400, as shown in FIGS. 9-10, ashuttle style door 404, as shown in FIGS. 11-12 and 21, or any othersuitable door structure. The door assembly 218 is configured tocooperate with stop 254 so that when the door assembly 218 is closed,the door assembly 218 applies sufficient force to engage the stop 254into its engaged position to allow forward movement of the pusher 214.Because stop 254 cooperates with door assembly 218, when proximitysensor 300 senses a change in the position of stop 254, proximity sensor300 also generates a digital signal conveying whether the door assembly218 is open or closed, and how long door assembly 218 has been open orclosed. This information can then be sent to a processing device 504,such as an ST 8-bit microcontroller or other suitable processormentioned above. As mentioned above, the processing device 504 can thenencrypt and package the data and send it via analysis unit 308 by RF toa communication unit 508. In some embodiments, the communication unit508 can send back an acknowledgement in the form of a checksum. Thecommunication unit 508 unpackages the information it receives from theanalysis unit 308 and can then analyze and, in some circumstances, acton the information.

For example, in some situations, it may be desirable to alert retailpersonnel when a consumer opens door assembly 218 for vending. Once thecommunication unit 508 receives and processes the signal relayinginformation that the door assembly 218 is open, the communication unit508 can use this information, for example, to deter theft by monitoringaccess to the device. In one instance, the communication unit 508 canalert retail personnel that a device's door assembly 218 has been openedby making an announcement over the store's public address (“PA”) systemor interrupting music playing over the store's PA system with a beep,ping, or other sound that lets store personnel know that an access doorhas been opened and that product is being vended. If the door assembly218 has been open too long, the communication unit 508 can also transmitto retail personnel a customer service message over the store's PAsystem that a customer requires assistance in a particular department.This type of monitoring can help deter theft. In other situations, thecommunication unit 508 can process a signal that door assembly 218 hasbeen open for a long enough period of time to suggest that the unitmight have malfunctioned.

FIG. 17 illustrates one example of a process flow 600 as one of manypossible ways to carry out the processes in processing device 504. Forexample, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 17, processing device 504begins at 601 and proceeds to decision block 602 to determine whether aproximity sensor 300 has been activated. If not, the processing device504 returns to decision block 601. If a proximity sensor 300 has beenactivated, the processing device 504 proceeds to 604 and starts aproximity sensor timer. The processing device 504 then determines atdecision block 606 whether a timer T.sub.1 (which corresponds to anypredetermined variable of time) has been exceeded. If the predeterminedvariable of time of timer T.sub.1 has not been exceeded, the processingdevice 504 proceeds to decision block 608 to determine whether theproximity sensor 300 has been deactivated. If the proximity sensor 300has been deactivated, the processing device 504 at 610 reads thepotentiometer rotational data after a delay of Z (which can be anypredetermined amount of time). The processing device 504 then (at 612)sends the rotational data by RF to communication unit 508, and returnsto 601. If the proximity sensor 300 had not been deactivated (608), theprocessing device 504 loops back to decision block 606 to determinewhether timer T.sub.1 has been exceeded. If timer T.sub.1 has beenexceeded, the processing device 504 sends (at 614) a first alert signalby RF to the communication unit 508. Timer T.sub.1 can be set to 0, forexample, if it is desired that an alert signal be sent every timeproximity sensor 300 is activated (for example, every time door assembly218 is opened). In other situations, timer T.sub.1 is set to correspondto the time it takes to open and close the door assembly 218 in normalvending situations, such as when a legitimate consumer removes oneproduct. The processing device 504 then proceeds to decision block 616to determine whether the proximity sensor 300 has been deactivated. Ifthe proximity sensor 300 has been deactivated, the processing device 504proceeds to action block 610 and proceeds as described above. If theproximity sensor 300 has not been deactivated, the processing device 504proceeds to action block 618 and adds one iteration to counter T.sub.2,which is initially set to 0. Processing device 504 then proceeds todecision block 620 to determine whether counter T.sub.2 is greater thanX (which can be any predetermined amount of time). In some embodiments,X corresponds to an amount of time that indicates the door assembly 218may have malfunctioned. If T.sub.2 is less than X, the processing device504 proceeds to 622 and resets timer T.sub.1 and loops back to decisionblock 606 to proceed as described above. If T.sub.2 is greater than X,the processing device 504 proceeds to action block 624 and sends asecond alert signal by RF to communication unit. The processing device504 then proceeds to action block 626, where it disables RFcommunication for a predetermined amount of time Y, and then proceeds toaction block 628, where it resets T.sub.2 to 0. Processing device 504then returns to decision block 616 and proceeds as described above.

In certain embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 9-10, door assembly 218 is atip bin style door 400 that pivots open to provide a consumer withaccess to the product. When tip bin door 400 is in a closed position,access to product located behind the door is blocked to a consumer. Insome embodiments, when tip bin door 400 pivots forward, tip bin door 400allows access to the forward-most product on the pushing assembly 200,but includes a cover comprised of pivoting roof 401 and sliding roof 402that both pivots and slides to prevent access to remaining producthoused in the pushing assembly 200.

In other embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 11-12, door assembly 218 is ashuttle door 404 that includes a shuttle 270. When shuttle door 404 isin a closed position (FIG. 12), access to product located behind thefront face 266 of shuttle door 404 is blocked to a user. When shuttledoor 404 is in the closed position, as shown in FIG. 12, the shuttle 270is in a substantially horizontal orientation. The shuttle 270 ispositioned relative to the pushing assembly 200 so that product locatedin the forward-most position relative to the pushing assembly 200 restson the shuttle 270 when the shuttle door 404 is in the closed position,as shown in the figures. Shuttle 270 also includes a lip 272 (shown inFIG. 11).

Shuttle door 404 further may include a ledge 224, which is accessible toa user. When a user pulls ledge 224 to open shuttle door 404, a frontface 266 of shuttle door 404 slides outward toward the user and theshuttle 270 pivots so that it drops from a substantially horizontalposition to a substantially vertical position, as shown in FIG. 11. Inthis way, any product that was resting on the shuttle when the shuttledoor 404 was closed drops down to rest on the lip 272 of the shuttle270. Because the front face 266 has moved toward the user, a user isable to access the vended product through the opening 405 in the shuttledoor 404 (FIG. 11).

The shuttle 270 is positioned relative to the stop 254 so that, incertain embodiments, when the shuttle 270 is in the substantiallyhorizontal position (shuttle door 404 is closed as shown in FIG. 12),stop 254 is engaged and the pusher 214 is free to move forward due tothe action of the spring 250 and, in some embodiments, as slowed by theresistance mechanism, until a product reaches the forward-most positionand abuts the front face 266 of shuttle door 404. Once the forward-mostproduct abuts the front face 266 of shuttle door 404, additional productis restricted from advancing forward and the pusher 214 comes to a stop.When shuttle 270 drops to its substantially vertical position (shuttledoor 404 is open as shown in FIG. 11), the product that was resting onthe floor of shuttle 270 drops so that it is accessible to the user,while shuttle 270 also disengages stop 254, which prevents the pusher214 from moving forward and advancing additional product for vending.

In this way, when the shuttle door 404 is closed, the shuttle 270applies a generally horizontal force to stop 254 so that the stop 254moves downward and forward along slots 232 into its engaged position(FIG. 21). Once in the engaged position, the engagement surfaces 256 ofstop 254 no longer engage the protrusions 262 of brake 246 and pusher214 is free to move forward due to the action of the spring 250, asdescribed above, so long as there is room between the front face 266 ofshuttle door 404 and the next product to be vended. When pusher 214moves forward, shaft 201 rotates as described above so as to keep trackof the number of product vended and/or remaining in the track 216.

When the shuttle door 404 (or other suitable door assembly) is open, theshuttle 270 (or other suitable structure) disengages stop 254 so thatengagement surfaces 256 of stop 254 engage the protrusions of brake 246and prevent pusher 214 from moving forward. In this way, the pushingassembly 200 is configured so that only one product may be removed at atime. The pushing assembly 200 is also configured so that product mayonly be removed when it is against the front face 266 of shuttle door404 and received on the shuttle 270. This requires someone who wants toremove more than one product from the pushing system to wait for severalseconds between removal of each product, which has been found to be asubstantial deterrence to product theft. Moreover, door assembly 218(such as shuttle door 404 or tip bin door 400) may include a spring orother mechanism (such as spring 264 in FIG. 9) that urges the doorassembly 218 to its closed position.

In certain embodiments, a spacer 274 (shown in FIGS. 3 and 22-23) isused to accommodate products of different depths. Thus, use of a spacer274 allows the door assembly 218 to accommodate a product that isgreater in its depth dimension than the depth of the door assembly 218without the spacer. Specifically, the depth of the spacer 274corresponds to the depth of the product in relation to the depth of thedoor assembly 218. Similarly, the front to back ratio of the pushingassembly 200 also relates to the depth of the product. In this way, thepushing assembly 200 and door assembly 218 are customizable toaccommodate products of varying dimensions and to meet the needs of aretail store. The tallest product that may be used with the doorassembly 218 dictates the design of the door.

In an alternate embodiment, when stop 254 is in its engaged position,stop 254 prevents pusher 214 from advancing product forward. In such analternate embodiment, stop 254 is positioned within resistance channel234 so that the protrusions 260 of the stop 254 are received in slopedslots 232 on the side of the track 216. When the stop 254 is in adisengaged position, the protrusions 260 of the stop are located at oneend of the slots 232. When sufficient force is applied to the front face258 of the stop 254, the protrusions 260 on the side of the stop 254move upward from one end of slots 232 to the other end of slots 232.Because slots 232 are sloped at an angle along track 216, movement ofthe protrusions 260 upward along the length of the slots 232 lifts thestop 254 vertically from the disengaged position to an engaged position.In this way, when horizontal force is applied to the front face 258 ofstop 254, such as by opening door assembly 218, stop 254 moves bothhorizontally toward the rear of the track 216 and upward at the sametime. When stop 254 is raised to the engaged position, the engagementsurfaces 256 of the stop 254 raise to engage the projections 262 of thebrake 246 that extend into resistance channel 234. When projections 262of the brake 246 engage the engagement surfaces 256 of the stop 254,stop 254 prevents forward movement of the pusher 214. As describedabove, the back portion 261 of stop 254 includes a magnet 259 or othersuitable mechanism. When door assembly 218 is open and stop 254 movestoward the rear of track 216 into its engaged position to preventforward movement of the pusher 214, proximity sensor 300 senses suchmovement and can transmit this information in the manner describedabove.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 19-21, in some embodiments, pushing assembly 200is placed between two gondola-type retail shelves 202. In someembodiments, a plurality of pushing assemblies 200 are placed on theshelf 202 and separated by dividers 204. In some embodiments, the doorassembly 218 is connected to the dividers 204. The dividers 204 andpushing assemblies 200 are then connected to a rail 268, shown in FIGS.11-13 and 19-21, that is in turn attached to the shelf 202. The heightof the pushing assemblies 200 and dividers 204 may be adjusted toaccommodate the distance between the shelves 202. The dividers 204and/or shuttle door 404 may optionally include a bar 276 (shown in FIGS.11 and 21) that is either after-affixed or integrally molded as part ofthe dividers 204. The bar 276 may include rack gear teeth capable ofengaging a damper associated with the door assembly 218 so that the dooreases shut instead of slamming shut.

In some embodiments, shown in FIGS. 19-20, shelf 202 can be a slidingshelf. In these embodiments, shelf 202 may include a lock 278 that locksthe shelf 202 in place. When unlocked, as shown in FIG. 19, the shelf202 is capable of sliding forward in a drawer-like fashion so thatproduct can be easily re-stocked from above.

While the invention has been described in detail with particularreference to the disclosed embodiments, it will be understood thatvariations and modifications can be affected within the spirit and scopeof the invention as described herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for controlling access to at least one product, the system comprising: an advancement mechanism configured to push the at least one product toward a first end of the advancement mechanism, wherein the advancement mechanism comprises: a track that defines an advancement path; a pusher that is in sliding engagement with the track such that the pusher pushes the at least one product along the advancement path toward the first end of the advancement mechanism; and a stop configured to selectively lock the pusher relative to the track; an analysis unit configured to interface with the advancement mechanism, wherein the analysis unit comprises: a first sensor configured to detect movement of the pusher; and a second sensor configured to detect a position of the stop.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the advancement mechanism comprises a spring configured to bias the pusher toward the first end of the advancement mechanism.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the analysis unit is configured to determine at least one of (a) a quantity of products removed from the system and (b) a quantity of products remaining in the system.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to initiate a substantial time delay between a removal of a product from the system and an availability of a subsequent product.
 5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a door assembly disposed on the first end of the advancement mechanism, wherein: the door assembly is configured to move between an open position and a closed position; and the stop is configured to lock the pusher when the door assembly is in the open position.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is a potentiometer.
 7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a communication unit configured to receive data related to the advancement mechanism from the analysis unit.
 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the communication unit receives data from the analysis unit via RF.
 9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a shaft configured to rotate due to movement of the pusher.
 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first sensor detects rotation of the shaft.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the second sensor is configured to detect at least one of (1) when the at least one product moves towards the first end of the advancement mechanism and (2) a quantity of products remaining in the system.
 12. A system for controlling access to at least one product, the system comprising: an advancement mechanism configured to push the at least one product toward a first end of the advancement mechanism, wherein the advancement mechanism comprises: a rotatable shaft; a pusher that is in sliding engagement with the rotatable shaft such that the pusher pushes the at least one product toward the first end of the advancement mechanism; and an analysis unit configured to interface with the advancement mechanism, wherein the analysis unit comprises a sensor configured to detect movement of the rotatable shaft, wherein the sensor is a potentiometer.
 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the advancement mechanism comprises a spring configured to bias the pusher toward the first end of the advancement mechanism.
 14. The system of claim 12, wherein the analysis unit is configured to determine at least one of (a) a quantity of products removed from the system and (b) a quantity of products remaining in the system.
 15. The system of claim 12, wherein the system is configured to initiate a substantial time delay between a removal of a product from the system and an availability of a subsequent product.
 16. The system of claim 12, further comprising a door assembly disposed on the first end of the advancement mechanism, wherein: the door assembly is configured to move between an open position and a closed position; and the pusher is prevented from moving toward the first end of the advancement mechanism when the door assembly is in the open position.
 17. The system of claim 12, further comprising a communication unit configured to receive data related to the advancement mechanism from the analysis unit.
 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the communication unit receives data from the analysis unit via RF.
 19. The system of claim 12, wherein the shaft is a helical shaft configured to rotate due to movement of the pusher.
 20. The system of claim 19, wherein the sensor detects rotation of the shaft. 